Neck-yoke attachment.



PATENTBD AUG. 13, 1907.

J. J. OGONNELL. NECK YOKE ATTACHMENT.

APPLIUATION FILED MAR. 1s, 19,07.

my 5ML,

JOHN J. OCONNELL, OF LIMA, NEW YORK.

NECK-YOKE ATTACHMENT. l

Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Aug. 13, 1907.

Application led March 16, 1907. Serial No. 362.593-

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J oHN J. OCONNELL, of Lima, Livingston county, New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Neck-Yoke Attachments7 of which the following is a specification.

It sometimes happens in driving a team With a pole connection to the vehicle7 that a tug will become unfastened or a portion of the harness or the vehicle break allowing the team yto move forward and the neck yoke to slip off the end of the pole, often resulting in breakage of the pole or the running away of-the team.

The object of my invention is to provide a means for attaching a neck yoke to the pole which cannot become disconnected and allow the pole to drop to the ground in case the tugs break or become unhooked or for any other reason.

A further object is to provide an attachment which will allow the convenient separation of the yoke and pole whenever desired.

The invention consists generally in a pole having a longitudinal slot at its end terminating in a socket and a yoke having a shank to enter said slot and be held from disengagement when the yoke is crosswise of the pole.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the application of my invention to a neck yoke and pole. Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing the construction of the extension on the end of the pole and the position of the neck yoke shank therein. Fig. 3 is an end view of the pole showing the middle portion of the yoke and the shank therein. Fig. 4 is a detail view of the cap or head that i s fitted on to the end of the pole. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the neck yoke shank.

ln the drawing, 2 represents a pole of ordinary construction and 3 an extension having a socket 4 at one end to receive the pole, and provided with a longitudinal slot 5 in its opposite end leading to a vertical socket 6 which is somewhat Wider than the slot 5. The extension is preferably of cast metal and the Wall at the rear end of the slot 6 has a flat inclined face 7 and a lug or extension 8 on the under side of the pole. The extension is secured to the pole by any suitable means as the rivets l0. The neck yoke 11 is oi ordinary construction and is provided with a strap l2 to which the upper end of a shank 13 is pivoted by means of a bolt 14. The

lower end of the shank 13 terminates in a 'JJ-shaped head 15 and said shank is preferably ilat on the sides and is adapted to be slipped into the slot 5 when the neck yoke is parallel with the pole, and be turned when it enters the socket 6 so that the yoke will be crosswise of the pole and in that position it will be impossible for the shank to slip out of the socket, and in case the tugs become unhooked or the harness breaks, the pole cannot become detached from the yoke but the vehicle will be drawn along by the connection between the yoke and the pole.

When in use the iiat rear face of the shank 13 will bear on the flat surface 7, as indicated in Fig. 2, and a broad substantial bearing surface will be formed for the shank when the yoke is drawn backward as in the act of holding back the load. The shank will have sufficient motion in the slot to allow the yoke to accommodate itself to the motion of the pole in passing over uneven or rough roads7 but there will be no possibility of the yoke and pole becoming separated until the yoke has been swung to a position in line with the pole. At that time the shank can be easily slipped out of the socket and the yoke detached from the pole. I claim as my invention:

1. The combination, with a vehicle pole having a slot in its end and a socket of greater width than the said slot,

of a neck yoke having a shank adapted to slip into said slot when the yoke is in line with the pole, said shank when it enters said socket allowingY the neck yoke to be turned crosswise of the pole and being too wide to pass out through said slot when the yoke is in position for use, and said shank having a head at its lower end that is too large to pass through said socket, whereby a separable coupling between the neck yoke and pole is formed.

2. The combination, with a pole, of an extension having` a longitudinal slot and a socket to receive the end of said pole, the slot in said extension terminating in a vertical socket of greater transverse area than said slot, a neck yoke, a shank pivot-ally connected thereto and adapted to slip into said socket through said slot when the yoke is parallel with the pole, and said shank being too wide to pass out of said socket when the yoke is turned across the pole and said shank having a T-shaped lower end that is adapted to engage the lower portion of the socket walls,

substantially as described.

In* witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this (i day of March 1907.

JOHN .T. O'CONNELL.

Witnesses CARROLL A. THOMPSON, Cir-is. E. HEwiTT. 

